As featured in Business Minds Media: South Africa’s Visionary CEOs Making an Impact in 2024

The engineering and technology sector fundamentally shapes industrial progress and drives innovation across multiple fields. Companies in this space face the continual challenge of staying abreast of technological advancements while meeting the ever-growing demands of clients and markets. The industry’s success hinges on forging strategic partnerships with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and integrating emerging technologies into operational practices ensuring that teams are consistently trained and equipped with the latest skills is critical for maintaining a competitive edge. 

The CEO, Tom Martin, has worked to address these challenges by establishing strong relationships with respected OEMs and prioritizing employee training. His approach has centered on aligning the company with innovative players in the industry, which helps the company stay at the forefront of new product developments and ensures its workforce is proficient in the latest technologies. Tom’s leadership extends beyond business strategy, reflecting his personal commitment to mentoring and supporting his team’s growth. 

Nouum Engineering (Pty) Ltd is focused on bringing cutting-edge engineering solutions to Africa. The company aims to drive technological advancements and create opportunities for its workforce through strategic partnerships, training programs, and a commitment to maintaining high standards of excellence. As it continues to expand, the company remains deeply rooted in its core values, highlighting unity, respect, and professional development for its employees. 

Driving Innovation and Engineering Excellence in Africa 

Tom recognizes the challenges of operating a service company without manufacturing its own products, particularly when it comes to staying current with emerging technologies. Without strong partnerships with leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), keeping up-to-date with new developments and ensuring comprehensive employee training becomes increasingly difficult. To address this, Tom prioritizes aligning the company with respected and innovative OEMs, which supply both cutting-edge products and training. This collaboration allows Nouum Engineering to maintain high standards for its staff, setting the company apart from many of its competitors.  

Through these strategic partnerships, the company aims to bring advanced technological solutions to Africa, embodying the principle of “Vorsprung durch Technik.” Looking ahead, Tom plans to establish a training academy that will not only provide existing engineers with the skills necessary to work with new products but also offer professional development opportunities that ensure the continued growth of the company’s workforce. 

Mentoring and Supporting Women in Marine Engineering Careers 

Tom recalls a female apprentice from his previous company who outperformed her male colleagues with her dedication and commitment. Despite the physically demanding nature of the work, which often involves long hours of laborious tasks in challenging conditions, she demonstrated exceptional passion for the job. Having already completed the necessary theoretical training before joining the company, she had always aspired to a career in Marine Engineering. However, she eventually left to pursue further growth opportunities. 

Sometime later, she contacted Tom in distress after a professor told her that women were unsuitable for the trade and should instead focus on biological or chemical sciences, staying within laboratory environments. Tom reassured her, advising that the professor was misinformed and likely biased. As someone with limited experience mentoring women in the Marine industry, Tom reached out to a female colleague who had enjoyed a successful career as both a Navigational Officer and an Engineering Officer. This colleague, who went on to work as an engineer and project manager for a leading international manufacturer of large two-stroke engines, mentored the young apprentice with enthusiasm and determination. 

Thanks to this mentorship, the apprentice continued her career in the Marine industry, excelling in her path. Tom remains hopeful that she will join his team once she completes her higher education, believing she would be a valuable asset and colleague. 

Maintaining Balance Through Physical Work and Leadership Responsibilities 

Tom reflects on his previous passion for running and cycling, activities he regularly participated in through competitions and outdoor pursuits. He found running to be particularly convenient, as he could easily take his gear with him and maintain his routine wherever he went, running approximately 10 kilometers three times a week, sometimes more. However, two years ago, after a work-related accident that resulted in a knee injury, running became no longer feasible, and even cycling has become difficult due to the time constraints of his demanding schedule. 

Given his extensive travel, Tom has found that a traditional gym membership is not practical either. Despite these limitations, he has managed to maintain a balance in his life. Over the past two years, the company has experienced significant growth, and Tom’s role has expanded beyond CEO to also include acting as Superintendent. In this capacity, he is directly involved in training staff and overseeing high-profile projects that currently require his expertise. As a result, the physical work involved in these projects, particularly on ships, serves as his form of exercise and helps him maintain the balance he seeks. 

Tom notes that he doesn’t feel the need to encourage his team to maintain a work-life balance, as he believes they are much better at it than he is. 

Overcoming Partnership Struggles and Building Morale 

Tom reflects on the early days of his company, which he co-founded with two partners who ultimately did not share his long-term vision. The partners, he believes, expected rapid success and financial gain without understanding the true demands of entrepreneurship. Tom recalls the saying in Germany: “Selbstständig, heißt selber und ständig,” which translates to “Self-employed means you work for yourself and you work all the time.” He notes that, unlike technology companies like Facebook or Microsoft, the rewards of hard work in his industry are not immediate but are hoped to materialize over time. 

The partnership was eventually dissolved, and the disruptions caused by disloyalty, rumors, and speculation set the company back by two years in terms of growth and success. The disunity also affected employee morale, as the lingering connections between the partners and the staff made it difficult to restore a sense of unity. Despite these setbacks, Tom remained focused on the company’s vision. He highlights that while progress has been slower than expected, the company is now moving forward, and team morale continues to improve with time. 

Perseverance Through Adversity and Team Support 

Tom reflects with pride on his decision to persevere through the difficult period with his former partners. Despite reaching a point where he considered walking away, he credits his team for their support, which allowed the company to survive and remain operational. Tom believes that everything happens for a reason, and in hindsight, he views the experience as a blessing in disguise.

Valuing Employees Through Training, Fair Remuneration, and Respect 

Tom views each employee as a valuable member of the company family, underlining that, like any family, the organization does not give up on its people. He considers training to be one of the most important programs the company offers, providing both internal and external training through partnerships with overseas principals. Although these training programs are costly, Tom believes they are essential for the company’s success on the international stage. The company also prioritizes fair remuneration and profit sharing for all employees, including management. While the company may not be able to match the salaries offered by larger corporations, Tom ensures that employees are treated with respect and dignity.

He highlights that the company’s benefits and salaries are competitive, ranking in the upper quartile compared to many South African companies. 

Building a Strong Team Through Democratic Leadership and Support 

Tom acknowledges that finding the right managers is a challenging task, and success is not always guaranteed. He notes that a manager’s true suitability only becomes apparent over time, and sometimes their true character is revealed later on.  

Tom practices a democratic leadership style, aiming to empower team members and encourage open communication, ensuring everyone feels heard. He seeks colleagues who share a similar vision for the company, which he views as a family. Tom is committed to maintaining this family-oriented culture, offering guidance, mentorship, and support to all staff. Dismissal is only considered in cases of serious transgressions. He believes this approach strengthens the team over time. 

Leveraging Partnerships and Technology for Long-Term Growth and Training 

Tom highlights the company’s partnerships with leading and innovative market players, which provide access to the latest industry trends. While the market is growing quickly, he acknowledges that keeping up with these developments can be challenging. To address this, Tom plans to establish an academy equipped with a simulator from one of the company’s partners. This academy will offer digital training solutions for new products, benefiting both the company and other businesses in South Africa. 

On the operational side, Tom is focused on aligning the company with modern systems designed to ensure smooth operations for the next 30 years. 

Embracing Diversity and Cultural Understanding for Global Success 

Tom recognizes South Africa as a multicultural country and ensures that this diversity is reflected within the company. Through the scope of their work, the company engages with people from around the world and embraces a variety of cultures. Having traveled extensively, Tom believes that all people are fundamentally the same—there are both good and bad individuals in every culture. In the company, it is not important where employees come from; they are all considered part of a family. The company promotes understanding through engagement and discussion, believing that cultural differences can contribute to the success of an international business. 

Expanding Operations, Strengthening Training, and Upholding Core Values 

Tom is focused on the next steps for the company’s expansion, which includes plans to extend operations into Mozambique and Mauritius. He also intends to establish a training academy in Cape Town. The company is in the process of upgrading its ERP system to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, ensuring long-term operational stability for the next 25 to 30 years. 

The apprenticeship program is being expanded to train nine candidates annually, with three qualifying each year and three new candidates starting their training. Tom also seeks to build strong partnerships with universities, offering practical training opportunities for students in the field. 

Despite the company’s growth, Tom is committed to maintaining the “we are family” ethos and ensuring that the core values of unity and support remain intact. There are many more plans in the works for the future.

Originally appeared on https://businessmindsmedia.com/